My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 188

"Yes."

"Okay then. But we need to get it ready before dinner time."

Miss Karina seemed to want some real time alone with Mr. Yang Hao—and although Mr. Yang Hao roughly knew what Miss Karina wanted to do, he still calmly agreed: after all, this might be a breakthrough that had been hard to find!

If only he could resolve Karina's infatuation this time... With that thought in mind, Yang Hao led Karina back to the car. A short while later, they arrived back at the Duke's mansion.

Before heading to Karina's room, Yang Hao deliberately inquired about Kosiché and the others' situation from the waiter. Upon learning that they seemed to still be working, the somewhat anxious nobleman breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems like he and Karina won't be disturbed for quite some time? Hmm, the more you talk about it, the more it sounds like... you know...

While his hardworking wife is busy, he's having affairs with other girls...

Um...

"—Mr. Yang Hao?"

"Ah, it's coming."

He wiped the sweat from his face, then smiled and followed Karina.

Unbeknownst to him, Monica, the head maid observing them from the mirror world, revealed a profound look in her eyes.

...... ......

Karina's room was laid out as always.

However, because it was nighttime, Yang Hao felt very nervous after arriving here.

Moreover, he clearly saw that Karina, who was the last to enter, silently locked the door—good girl, you brought a man into your room and locked the door, do you really know what that means?

If Karina were the kind of child who didn't understand romantic relationships, Yang Hao wouldn't be so nervous. But Karina does understand...

so...

"Um, Mr. Yang Hao? Could you please sit down and wait a moment? I'll go get the things."

He sat nervously in the chair Karina had pointed to, watching as she seemed to be tidying up—her room had a third door besides the one connecting to the bathroom and toilet.

That seemed to be a small attic. Yang Hao pondered as he looked at it from afar. Was it where Miss Karina kept the things she had inherited from her father? Those things that she still couldn't let go of after deciding to become Koschei's successor.

That could be a breakthrough... If her father could help her return from her delusions to reality, then...

"—Mr. Yang Hao, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Just as Yang Hao was pondering something, Karina's words brought him back to reality. He looked up at where Karina was and saw her walking towards him carrying a small box.

Karina placed the wooden box on the table in front of Yang Hao, then took a step forward, followed by two hesitant steps back. She looked around, then pulled up a chair and sat down in a spot closer to Yang Hao.

"These are the things my father left me, things he insisted I carry with me at all times," she said softly, sounding a little nervous. She took out the items one by one, including the Key to Shattering the Gate that Yang Hao had seen in the notebook earlier.

Besides the key to the broken door, there were many other things—fragments of some ancient books, a bone flute, and a human arm that was placed in a glass case—though the hand of the remains seemed to be holding a spark.

In addition, there were strange cups, which Karina explained were odd wine cups her father had brought from another ruin. There was also a strange, viscous substance in a perfume bottle, which she said appeared to be some kind of extremely sweet nectar. Finally, there were ritualistic inscriptions drawn on leather paper.

“Father brought back many things, but these are the only ones he considers most important, and he insisted that I carry them with me at all times,” Karina explained. She shifted her position, as if wanting Yang Hao to see them more clearly, her face dreamy as she gazed longingly at the items on the table. “I’ve always wanted to figure out their purpose… I’ve always thought about it. Sometimes I can dream again of my father working, lying on the soil, using a small brush to scrub the dust off porcelain or other objects buried in the ground…”

Ah, I really miss the days when he was alive. But I know that's impossible.

Sometimes I see him again in my dreams. I don't know if the path I've chosen has made this man, who has wandered for many years but devoted all his love to his daughter, feel satisfied and proud... but I don't regret the path I've chosen. If I had to point out any regrets...

"Perhaps I won't be able to fully study the ancient artifacts left by my father before Lord Kosiché inherits my body; these were artifacts he couldn't finish researching even on his deathbed."

After speaking, Karina sighed. She stared blankly at the things on the table. She had told him everything about her past and her thoughts, and now she awaited the man's evaluation—whatever his evaluation... she would accept it.

...

Yang Hao looked at the items on the table. His eyes scanned each item, and he instinctively realized that these were all unique treasures.

He didn't even need Miss Elegy's reminder... he could sense the aura emanating from those items on his own.

The desire emanating from that cup.

The changes and destruction conveyed by that corpse.

The bone flute emitted a deathly stillness, while the bottle of nectar exuded a cloying sweetness.

These are treasures that every ascendant or aspiring ascensionist dreams of, and now they're all in Karina's hands...

He also realized a key reason why Karina was so obsessed—her father.

Karina has always lived in the shadow of her father's influence, and deep down she longs to be like him. But in the end, she chooses to suppress herself and sacrifice herself to make the Ursus Empire a better place... or so she thought.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't lead to any bad results. Koschche would accept it gladly; although he would feel regret, he wouldn't say much. But now it's different. Whether it's a coincidence or driven by her own deep-seated desires, she is indeed acting spontaneously. In any case, Karina, who is on the path to ascension, is captivated.

One major reason for her fascination was her father, a guiding light in her eyes who inspired her dreams and aspirations. The second major reason was these things...

Although Yang Hao understood that the father must have meant well in allowing his daughter to carry her most important inheritance with her, those items were simply too dangerous. Fortunately, Miss Karina was a highly educated and self-disciplined noblewoman; if an ordinary person had picked them up, it would only be a matter of time before they went mad under their influence.

It's already quite remarkable that Karina has managed to stay engrossed until now, only reaching a dangerous stage! He sighed and couldn't help but reach out and tenderly stroke Karina's hair. Her hair was very soft, and her bear ears seemed thicker and warmer than cat ears.

Under her dazed and confused gaze, Yang Hao chose to directly address the core of the problem:

“Kelina, you can still see your father’s phantom, can’t you?”

"...Mr. Yang Hao? What are you talking about?"

“Literally. You cherish these antiques… no, these relics, but when you look at them, you're actually looking at a phantom of your father.” Yang Hao ruffled Karina's hair and sighed, “Even in your dreams you see him… I don't think a father who has peacefully passed away would want his child to be thinking about him all the time. I mean, simple memories are fine, but…”

"Karina, you want to be him, or something like him, right?"

......

Karina was silent for a moment, then finally reached out and grabbed Yang Hao's wrist.

"...Isn't this just natural?" The smile vanished from her face, replaced by a mesmerizing, dreamlike expression. Was she dreaming? Or was she seeing a vision? Or perhaps... "As children, it's only natural to follow in our parents' footsteps, isn't it? I...I can see him. But I can't see his opinion of me, so I want to be like him, but now I've decided to become Lord Koschche's successor..."

I want to be like my father before I completely lose myself, before I become [Koschche]... Is that not allowed? I just want my father's opinion of me, that's all... Really..."

Is this all there is? She's gradually losing the ability to distinguish between reality and unreality. She wants the opinion of her long-dead father; in other words, she's become too deeply infatuated...

But it's not too late. If Yang Hao can find a way to bring her back to reality. Or rather, a beacon that will allow her to distinguish "where reality is," or a memory, or even a fleeting moment of fear or recollection?

But what should I do?

He looked at the silent Karina and noticed that besides her father, she was also paying attention to two other people in reality.

One is Koschei, whom she regards as her mentor, the one who will inherit her body in the future, and the immortal who can lead Ursus to glory.

"Kelina".

The other one is himself, named Yang Hao—but what exactly is his role in Karina's eyes?

Was he treating me as a substitute for his long-dead father? Or a friend? Or someone he could trust? Yang Hao gently patted Karina's hair, finally realizing that without gathering all the information, he had no choice but to gamble.

Are you betting on whether I'm the person you admire, the person who will become your father, or just a friend you trust?

Women's minds are truly hard to fathom—this reminded Yang Hao of his time with Margarita. He often reflected on himself, wondering if things would be different now if Margarita's thoughts hadn't been so difficult to understand back then. But upon closer reflection, his own lack of initiative back then was also a major problem.

Now, a similar question has arisen again. Should I take the gamble?

Yang Hao closed his eyes. In the end—he was willing to take the gamble. He couldn't afford to miss opportunities again because of his own hesitation or the other party's hesitation. Even if taking the initiative would lead to failure, it didn't matter, not to mention that Karina was indeed worth the gamble.

If you take personal relationships into account, then it's even more so.

"Kelina." He called Kelina's name again.

"...Yes? Mr. Yang Hao?"

She stared at Yang Hao in a daze, her face neither smiling nor crying, only blank, bewildered, and lost in a profound, entranced gaze. Her eyes were dull and lifeless; she seemed to be nearing the point of her fascination.

There wasn't enough time; he needed to be direct. He thought to himself, the only way to make Karina feel fear or at least have a fleeting, pleasant memory was...

"Actually, Koschei didn't say she would inherit your body right now. She's just considering that the political resources in her current body are exhausted, and it might be a waste of time—but you don't need to prepare for your end so quickly. Because Koschei might not need you to be her successor afterward."

......

"—Eh? But—no, impossible...Lord Koschche...I..."

Her pupils contracted sharply. Was Karina truly afraid of the fact that she couldn't become Koschei's successor?

Yang Hao guessed one of the bets correctly. Now, she's gripped by fear because of Yang Hao's sudden announcement. This frightening fact has reinforced her understanding of the real world, but it's not enough.

We need at least one more, we need one more...

"—And the second point."

"what..."

She looked at Yang Hao blankly, breathing heavily with anxiety. She seemed eager to leave immediately and get answers from Kosiche, but Yang Hao wouldn't let her go. After all, there was still one person missing.

So Yang Hao gently took her hand, giving her a sense of reality:

“I like you very much. I’m not referring to your body, but to the individual named [Karina], not the future [Koschche].

Before she could even process what he meant, Yang Hao kissed her.

He was gambling as he kissed the lips of the trembling girl.

then...

He seems to have made the right bet.

Chapter 45

Karina didn't see him as a replacement for her father, or rather, in her mind, even a replacement for her father wasn't without the possibility of developing feelings for him. She had originally prepared herself after learning that Lord Koschche had a husband, but when she met that husband for the first time in a real sense, she still found that she was never truly prepared.

On the one hand, he was Lady Kosiché's husband, and they treated each other with respect. Even though that gentleman had a chaotic private life, Lady Kosiché loved him and even tacitly approved of those things.

On the other hand, Karina is still an individual—no matter how much she restricts herself and confines her consciousness to a doll-like state, she still can't stop herself from being drawn in little by little.

She was curious about why this gentleman could win Lord Kosch's favor, just as she was curious about why her father could always dig up so much treasure from the ground.

She was curious about how this man viewed her, just as she was curious about how her deceased father would view her current choices.

She longed to be chosen by this gentleman, just as she longed to be chosen by Kosic.

She began to indulge in fantasies, just as she fantasized that if she could follow in her father's footsteps, she could gain the approval of her long-dead father.

She was mesmerized. She could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion. The world she saw was filled with golden light, constantly shifting and reuniting.

but now...

"Woo..."

The stark reality that Lord Kosicé didn't actually need her, and that she had indeed been chosen by Mr. Yang Hao, shattered her illusions. Between fear and the sudden, intense reality, the illusory World Cup she had envisioned crumbled.

Stimulation transmitted through the body.

The joy and fear that come from the mind.

The guilt and immorality felt deep in my heart.

These stimuli brought her directly back to reality—

Then I immediately realized what was happening.

Oh, Mr. Yang Hao... you actually...

Karina vaguely felt the sensations on her lips and hair. She responded awkwardly, imagining how she would react if it were Lord Kosiché at that moment...

Ah... Mr. Yang Hao?

If I could have you all to myself... if...

......

She awkwardly opened her mouth, trying to respond to him with her tongue. Meanwhile, Yang Hao was relieved that he had made the right gamble—after all, if he had made a mistake, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Now all we have to do is wait for Karina to recover, right? And then the important thing next is how to explain things to Kosiché and the others? Hmm, I'll have a good talk with my wife and Monica in the room first, then with Sonia and His Majesty the Emperor, and finally Theresa... ah?

No, no, Theresa probably wouldn't mind, she shouldn't. Besides, compared to Theresa, Hela might actually ask more questions...

Even Yang Hao himself felt terrible about himself, like a piece of trash, utterly worthless dregs of medicine! He at least had some self-awareness, right? Sigh!

So, after the kiss, which felt like a high-stakes gamble, he looked at Miss Karina, who seemed to have returned to reality, and reached out to wipe the saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth:

“So I’ll help you go further and further down this path,” he said. “But I have to make it clear beforehand—I’m a terrible man. Not only is my private life messy, but it seems like several promises are either in progress or have failed. So I can’t guarantee anything, but at least for now…you’re no longer seeing illusions, are you?”

"..."

Karina didn't say anything; she just blushed, turned her head away, and then shyly covered her mouth with her hand.

"..."

Then Yang Hao heard her seemingly say something, but her voice was so soft that he had to lean closer to barely hear her words—

"Can we...do it again?"